Aa matthewsii (Rchb.f.) Schltr. 1912 Drawing by Pastorelli, Bennett & Christenson

As Aa lechleriTYPE Drawing as Aa lechleri by Schlechter

Another Drawing Drawing by Alcantara Bennett & Christenson

LATE EARLY

Common Name Matthew's Aa

Flower Size Minute

Found in Cusco, Puno, Huanuco and Lima departments of Peru in very cold, wet cloud forests at elevations around 2600 to 3385 meters as a medium to large sized, cold growing terrestrial with a whorl of basal, narrowly linear, long tapering, acute somewhat stiff leaves that blooms in the late spring and early summer on a terminal, erect, stiff, long pedunculate, the peduncle 12 to 36" [30 to 90 cm] long, rachis terete, 3" [7.5 cm] long, densely many flowered inflorescence with lanceolate, far exceeding the flowers floral bracts and carrying non-resupinate flowers that barely open.

This species is set apart by the ovate, 3 lobed lip with denticulate apical margins, the shell shaped, mealy pollina and the non-resupinate flowers with floral bracts that exceed the flowers in length.

Synonyms Aa lechleri Schltr. 1921; *Altensteinia matthewsii Rchb.f. 1878;

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Xenia Orchid. 3: 19 Rchb.f 1878 as Altensteinia matthewsii

Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11: 150 Schlechter 1912

Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 9: 52 Schlecheter 1921 as Aa lechleri

Orchids of Peru Vol 1: 100 Schweinfurth 1958

Orchids of Peru Vol 1: 98 Schweinfurth 1958 as Altensteinia marginata;

Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 201 Bennett & Christenson 1995 drawing fide;

Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum Plate 601 Bennett & Christenson 2001 drawing fide

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